The Population Structure of Borrelia lusitaniae Is Reflected by a Population Division of Its Ixodes Vector.

ABSTRACT: Populations of vector-borne pathogens are shaped by the distribution and movement of vector and reservoir hosts. To study what impact host and vector association have on tick-borne pathogens, we investigated the population structure of Borrelia lusitaniae using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Novel sequences were acquired from questing ticks collected in multiple North African and European locations and were supplemented by publicly available sequences at the Borrelia Pubmlst database (accessed on 11 February 2020). Population structure of B. lusitaniae was inferred using clustering and network analyses. Maximum likelihood phylogenies for two molecular tick markers (the mitochondrial 16S rRNA locus and a nuclear locus, Tick-receptor of outer surface protein A, trospA

SUBMITTER: Norte AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8145215 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature